What Are You Living Your Life For? Abundance Tribe Bi-weekly Question
Every life has its purpose it was created for, a life without a purpose is bound to lose hope or even its existence. Humans are moved by their desires to meet goals, win achievements and create better lives for themselves. These are what people wake up everyday to work towards and what people are living for - For themselves.
I remember a movie I saw some time ago, about a guy who had to take on the responsibility of his parents after they passed away. He made himself to believe that he was living for his younger sister because he thought he would have taken his own life if he was alone in the world without a sister to look after. He began to work hard, learn skills to become a better person in the society so he could have more to care for his sister.
While he was doing all that, whenever he fails or made a mistake in work, he felt very sad and would hit himself to do better and whenever he was doing very well, he would take himself out to appreciate himself - That is him living for himself without him knowing. He does things to make himself happy before or after making sure of his sister's happiness.
We can't really deceive ourselves in saying we live for people even if we want our lives to really be spent for people. The thing is, even if you do all your possible best to help and make people happy, the best feeling of fulfillment comes to you - That is you living for yourself.
If I was asked this question while I was still a kid, I would happily say "I live for my parents" because they were the only ones I knew then, being happy with them is like living for them. But then, I won't say the same now because I have to come to understand that as one grows, one learns a lot from life and questions to ask changes.
All my life, I've been trying out new things, studying, trying to be better at things even while I suck at some things. All to become a better version of myself. My parents paved that way for me when they enrolled me in school and also into learning skills centres. They wanted me to live a better life and that is for me - They wanted me to live for me.
I believe living for myself will go a long way in dealing better with people I come across. I can't live for another if I don't love and cherish my life so that comes first. I live for myself but I want to impart lives around as I do that. Not totally selfish and not entirely selfless. Care for myself, care for others - Balancing everything around me to a better self and a better world.
My purpose in life is to be better and impact peoples life positively. Actually we all think we are living our lives for somebody else, yea its fine. You know, in the process of satisfying peoples want from you, you are actually becoming better by actually been able to provide for there needs. Yea sure we are living to take care of our families as in our parents and siblings at first, if we are not in a goid possition to help, how are we going to fufill our purpose let alone to now talk about marrying, given birth to childrens and cater for there needs. We have to be better ourselves before we coukd be able to live for others successfully. Thanks for this piece its awesome.
The same was my answer even when I became an adult..
I had this belief that I needed to work hard so as to pay back all my parents has gone for me, especially my mum..
I was working hard so that they won't feel ashamed and regret all they have done for me, that has always been what I live for..
It was so unfortunate that my mum who I thought I was doing all that for died, and my world shattered, it was as if I have nothing to love for again...
I nearly joined gangs and do sill things because of that thought that I live for my mum, it was really a bad experience for me... I couldn't concentrate in school or anything other thing that has to do with my career because I didn't think I should be good to myself..
My dad noticed I wasn't myself again and that I was going astray, he called my attention and thank God I was able to open up to him..
He inspired and motivated me to move on..
I started all over again by believing in myself, I was so backwards both in education and thinking.. My friends were far ahead of me but thank God for where I am today..
The best way to live, is not to live for anybody but for yourself, develop yourself all round, acquire knowledge and wisdom, only then can you use your potentials to develop and inspire people around you..
I'm happy now.... ☺️
I agree, you have a life and you have to live it peacefully. In order to live your life, you'll have to learn to love yourself. No one loves us as much as we love ourselves, so there is nothing wrong with being a little selfish. That makes a person understand the meaning of love and then they love others as much as they love themselves.
The Bible instructs that we love others as we love ourselves. Imagine that we are terrible at loving ourselves, we will transfer the same terribleness to others.
Living for oneself, is but a phrase, its true meaning lies in our interpretation. To some it might mean being self-centered, but your interpretation is being better inorder to have a sense of fulfilment as well as well as being being able to serve others better.
That's nice for me. The better you are for your, the better you are for others.
@merit.ahama my good friend, this is nice.
While we focus on others, especially if you are a parent or a spouse you still live for yourself, without that you would burnout as fast as you began.
The balance for each person at each stage of his or her life is different, while the core understanding needs to be there.
A very important reflection. We create so many narratives about why we do the things we do, yet the essence remains within. Everything we do, is to know ourselves better and to be more at ease in our skins, whether we're aware of it or not. Sometimes this can develop into very disturbing behaviors and habits because the narratives we tell ourselves cloud our sense of reality, but ultimately, we're all fulfilling our purpose which is centered in us. Thanks for this reflection! Blessings!
It's like one of my favourite songs, Love Yourself byThe Script. The chorus of the song asks: How can you love if you don't love yourself?
Of a truth, for us to be able to live for others, and even God, we must learn to live for our very own selves.
It is important to embrace who we are, that allows us to live for ourselves and results in us embracing others for who they are also. Thanks for answering this question xxx